Late 20th Century Vintage African Kuba Basket

A lidded basket from the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo.This basket is of traditional design. Both top and bottom have four corners.The Kuba are known for their exquisite raffia textiles, but basketry is another area where they excel. Many baskets include elaborate enterplays of circle and square, where the basket will begin with one and end up with the other. The four pointy corners are also a trademark. The peg was used to anchor the basket in the grass roof of the hut. Such baskets were used to store foodstuff, to keep food fresh or warm, and also to serve meals. They were also used to store valuable and cosmetic items.